---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001624322-26-000024"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "BFST"
cik: "0001624322"
company_name: "Business First Bancshares, Inc."
filed_at: "2026-04-27T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-15T03:52:20.865507+00:00"
event_type: "earnings"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.7
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Business First Q1 net income $22.2M ($0.68 EPS); closes Progressive acquisition; declares $0.15 dividend

## Summary
- Net income available to common shareholders of $22.2M ($0.68 diluted EPS); core net income $24.0M ($0.73 diluted EPS) (non-GAAP).
- Closed Progressive Bancorp acquisition on Jan 1, 2026, adding ~$774M assets, $590M loans, $685M deposits, nine branches.
- Common dividend declared $0.15/share, payable May 29 to holders May 15; preferred dividend $18.75/share.
- Subsequent to quarter-end: issued $85M of 6.50% subordinated notes due 2036; used $66.9M to redeem existing sub debt.
- Loans held for investment up $495M (8%) including Progressive; organic loans declined $103M (1.5%). NPL ratio 1.53% (up 29bps).

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001624322-26-000024
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: BFST
- cik: 0001624322
- company_name: Business First Bancshares, Inc.
- filed_at: 2026-04-27T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: earnings
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.7
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 2.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000162432226000024/0001624322-26-000024-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000162432226000024/bfst-20260427.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001624322-26-000024
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001624322-26-000024.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001624322-26-000024.txt

## Key facts
- Earnings Releases
  Business First Bancshares, Inc. reported the quarter ended March 31, 2026 results: net income $22.2 million, EPS $0.68 per diluted common share.
  - Period: the quarter ended March 31, 2026
  - Net income: $22.2 million
  - EPS: $0.68 per diluted common share
  - Result: reported results
  source text: Business First Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: BFST) (Business First), parent company of b1BANK, today announced its unaudited results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. Business First reported net income available to common shareholders of $22.2 million or $0.68 per diluted common share, an increase of $1.2 million and a decrease of $0.03, respectively, compared to the linked quarter.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1624322/000162432226000024/0001624322-26-000024-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.